The Finer Things in Life

Who thought that basketball - fourth grade basketball - would fall under a headline like "The Finer Things in Life...."

I have had the privilege of witnessing my daughter's growth - both on and off the court - for the past several months. There is nothing more satisfying than watching your child sharpen her skills. Develop confidence. Experience the value of being a member of a team - a tribe, if you will. Exuding passion that most adults cannot fathom. It's been truly refreshing and inspiring.

Her tenacious spirit is contagious. She keeps me grounded - reminds me what the finer things in life truly are.

Apples + Trees

How does that saying go - "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Indeed, I have found this to be true with my two "apples." Their sharp minds and quick wit never cease to amaze me. And, it typically tends to amuse me.

Apparently there is no such thing as aging gracefully - not in this house.
Sidney: "Mommy, what are those lines by Daddy's eyes when he laughs?"
Me: The lines by his eyes?
Sidney: "Yea, you know...when he smiles or laughs they show up here." (she points to the outside of her eyes as she squints and smiles in the mirror to demonstrate.)
Me: Ahh, those. We call those crow's feet, Sidney.
Sidney: "Daddy sure has a lot of 'the' crow's feet on his face. And you have a few too."
Me: Top of the morning to you too, Sidney.


My words are used against my by my little man...say it ain't so!
Ashton: "Mommy, will you get me some peanut butter?"
Me: No. I'm busy doing your laundry. Would you like to do your laundry while I get your peanut butter?
Ashton: "No, Mommy."
With a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his face he says, "I'm just a baby, Mommy. We don't do laundry."
Me: Touche. But, you're getting your own peanut butter.

Funny how these kids have become such smart asses at such a young age. I'll take it though. My spirited children.

Love Notes

Remember the good old days when you used to write a love note to someone you liked? Typically there was a "check the box" call to action included in said note that would let you know where you stood. This morning, I found a love note in Ashton's locker.

Raw version...
Halle love Ashton
Halle love Ashton
Sorry Ashton but you hv to miare Halle

Translated version....
Halle loves Ashton
Halle loves Ashton
Sorry Ashton but you have to marry Halle.

I love how this love note serves many purposes. Love note. Apology. Edict. Sounds a lot like a real relationship, doesn't it?

Kids These Days...

Every now and again, Sidney gives me an abrupt reminder what a time warp I live in. This usually occurs in the car when we are listening to XM. 80's on 8, 90's on 9. This is what good music is! She very outspokenly disagrees. I believe her exact words were, "well if this was good music when you were growing up, then I am sorry for you." Yes, thank you, Sidney.

It's fairly amusing how different things are now then when I was a kid... Back in the day (the 80s as Sidney refers to it) our pranks were toilet papering peoples house, applying a single layer of plastic wrap to some unsuspecting parent's toilet seat and putting a friend's hand in warm water to get them to pee themselves if they fell asleep first at a sleep-over. Our music artists of choice were Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Debbie Gibson (for good measure). Candy was awesome - real sugar and lots of it. Remember the wax candy that was absolutely tasteless, but you just had to buy it for the pop-like substance inside of the wax soda bottle? Pure bliss.

I took a walk down memory lane this weekend as Sidney and her friend Sydnie went to a roller skating party and then returned to our home to play for the rest of the day. It also led me to do a comparison of then versus now as Sidney utilized Apple TV to play her tunes from her iPod through the TV. Pink, Bieber and Katy Perry were among the artist these girls were cutting a rug to. Arguably, the two female artists have some riskee lyrics - kind of like Madonna back in the day. We certainly keep those songs to a minimum but I'm certain that nothing she listens to is as suggestive as "Like a Virgin."

The girls had plenty of energy for their dance party because they brought home goodie bags full of loot - and in their case, candy. When dinosaurs roamed the earth and I went to friends' birthday parties, I took them a gift. They certainly didn't send me home with a $10 party favor. Times have changed and so has candy. Out of the bag came an Icee shaped aerosol bottle that sprayed liquid sugar. Yes, you read that right - spray liquid crack right into your mouth! Completely nuts! I'm sure it tasted better than my wax soda bottles and I'm not sure why I think that Sidney's party favor is any more appalling than my wax candy. But, it is. It just seems wrong.

And, what gathering would be complete without some type of prank? Clearly these two were cracked out on liquid sugar, cake, ice cream, pop and whatever else they were fed at the party...why not do something "funny" to the old people?! Prank of the day was creating a password for dear old Mom's iPad and locking her out. Funny, right? Yea, not so much. Somehow it seems more appropriate to Saran Wrap a toilet seat and let someone pee all over the floor - I mean bleach is relatively inexpensive and after all that's a real hoot, right? My mother (who this did happen to) would beg to differ.

I guess as much as things change, they really stay the same.

...these kids...

Sidney and Ashton have their 100th day of school tomorrow. With any important milestone there are, of course, celebrations required. The kids are observing this day in different ways.

Ashton loves jelly beans, so it's only fitting that he utilize this sugary treat to mark the occassion. He created a work of art using 100 jelly beans. The only distinguishable item on the page was a flower carefully crafted from a pile of oversized jelly beans. The other pieces on the page - I'm told - are Aaron holding a sword fighting asteroids falling from the sky. Yea. I don't see it, but I am glad he has a vivid imagination.

Sidney's class is celebrating by dressing like they are 100 years old. Being the peach that she is she walks into my room, enters my closet and says, "Okay, Mom. You have plenty of old lady clothes. What can I borrow?"

Game over, Sidney.

2011 Reflections

Most people look to the new year with resolutions and grandiose ideas of what the new year will bring. I have done that in a slightly different way. I choose to reflect on 2011 so I can apply my learnings to 2012.

2011 certainly has not been all sunshine and lollipops. However, I have learned a lot. For better or worse. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish until death parts us. I've experienced so many things in the past year.

I've learned...what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. And, when it is our time, it's not a matter of giving up. It's a decision to move on.

I've learned...there is strength in numbers.

I've learned...some relationships are worth some hassle and temporary disappointment. Others are not.

I've learned...even "food poisoning" can be funny in the company of good friends.

I've learned...while I love technology there is such a thing as overload. Sometimes it's beneficial to check the smart phone at the door.

I've learned...I prefer to flip an actual page of a book rather than a virtul one...no matter how good the graphics are.

I've learned...you can find friends in unlikely places.

I've learned...my kids are absolutely hysterical...intentionally and unintentionally.

I've learned...it truly is better to give than to receive.

I've learned...there are actually such things as stupid cats. And, I own one.

I've learned...the depths of love and loss.

I've learned...while time heals, it's never fast enough.

I've learned...that I have acquired a taste for running and can now understand how Forrest Gump became so addicted to it.

I've learned...board games are still relevant. Especially when it is the game "Things" and it's being played with people who share my sense of humor.

I've learned..."stay home days" totally rock and wearing PJ's all day should not be under-valued.

I've gleaned quite a bit from the year. ...here's to a year ahead filled with Sunshine and Lollipops.

Sidneyisms

Sidney just bought a book of animal facts from her school book fair. Apparently this was a good purchase.
Sidney: Did you know that horn toads shoot blood from their eyes? Did you know that flounder have eyes on the side of their heads? Did you know that flies lay up to 250 eggs per day? 
Ashton & I: horrified looks on our faces
...Sidney, the walking encyclopedia.

Sidney has started playing basketball and on game day before I knew what I was saying, I was cheering her on by her nickname. Boo-boo.
Me: Yes, I called you Boo-boo while you were playing basketball.
Sidney: Mom, don't do that again. You're embarrassing. 
...I knew this day would come, I just didn't think it would be this soon!

We were sitting at the dinner table and going through the pile of mail. I opened a card from my Dad that contained "Christmas cash." Sidney's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
Sidney: Mom, what are we going to buy with that money.
Me: We aren't going to buy anything with this money.
Sidney: Dad, you could take this money and buy Mom a real pair of UGGs instead  of the ones you bought her last year that were made in China.
...thank you for the laugh. For allocating my Christmas present to what you think I need. But, most importantly, thank you for the unedited conversation that you bring to the dinner table every night.

The Season for Giving Thanks

The Pilgrims and the Indians sitting down at a table in the woods having the inaugural Thanksgiving dinner to celebrate the first harvest while a fantastic story does not resonate with me in my "real" everyday life. I have plenty to give thanks for - more than I will ever realize - but my experience tonight really brought it home for me.

This evening I was lucky enough to participate in a wish granting training for Wishes Can Happen. During this training session, we learned how to work through the process of granting a wish for a terminally ill child - start to finish. While it was highly administrative, there were undertones of details that are required to be gathered that made an unspoken impact.

Gathering information such as: whether or not the child requires oxygen in-flight or upon arrival; securing a number of medical releases provided by the child's physician; discussing disease types and prognosis really makes one think about the severity of stress and anguish that these families face. Knowing that some children may recover, but most will not gives you a greater understanding of how important these wishes are. This could quite possibly be the last enjoyable experience and memory that the family has. One that otherwise could not be possible.

I'm thankful for the health of my children. I am thankful for the privilege to serve on the board of Wishes Can Happen. I'm thankful for my fellow-board members who see the importance of providing such a service to these families and who are willing to give up their time in order to ensure these children and their families are given the opportunity to make new memories in the midst of sadness. I am thankful for all I have. For the ability to give what I can. For the way I am inspired by these kids and how they have impacted my view on life.

Jade - cancer fighter, 5 years old

Life Happens

My blogging has once again taken a nose-dive in the face of multi-tasking and life induced ADD. If there were more hours in the day. If I weren't running around so much. If the kids social lives weren't more social than my own. If I didn't over-commit. If I didn't succumb to the fall line up of TV. If I didn't discover pinterest. If I didn't love Zumba. ...I would certainly be blogging more about all of the fun and not-so-fun events of late.

I guess for now, I'll just live life, and catch you up on it later.

The First Day of School

Enter a new era:  both of my kids are in school.  Sidney in third grade and Ashton in kindergarten.  Can it really be so? 

It seems so cliche to say "It seems like only yesterday..."  Well, cliche I will be.  It seems like only yesterday I was fretting about Sidney going to kindergarten.  Would she know to get off the bus when the bus arrived at her school rather than getting off at a different school?  How would she find her classroom once she got to school?  Would she miss her bus once school dismissed?  ...the list goes on and on.  Of course none of my fears were founded and not a single one of them came to fruition, but it didn't stop me from worry about it. 

Fast forward three years and here we are with Ashton.  My baby starting kindergarten.

I was on edge for nearly a week leading up to his first day.  Okay, some may have thought medication was in order.  Nonetheless, I was stressed. 

School supplies.  Agenda books.  Book bags.  Uniforms.  Schedules.  Classroom rules.  ...lions and tigers and bears, oh my!  My brain was on overload.  How is it possible that it Ashton could be old enough to embark on the school age journey?  (how am I old enough to have a third grader and a kindergartener for that matter?!)  Reality cannot be contested.  The time had arrived.

Ashton completely embraced his kindergartenhood and walked into school. Head high.  Captain America backpack hung over his shoulder.  Uniform perfectly pressed.  He was ready for this new adventure.  I was not.  I must have said "goodbye" to him three times.  Each time beckoning a hug and a kiss (or three).  He was very tolerant, but I could see that his patience was wearing thin.  His face was getting flushed.  It was time for sappy mommies to hit the road.  So, that's what I did.  I turned around, bid him farewell for the day and bravely walked out the door.  I held back my tears, bit my lip and put the car in drive.  I kept telling myself, "Lisa, you will survive this...don't ruin his big day by being a neurotic parent." 

I'm so glad for speed-dial.  Through my watery eyes, I spotted the letter "J" on my phone and hit talk.  I talked to my friend Jill on the way to work that morning - as I do every morning.  Life started becoming a little more normal again. 

The day wrapped up with Ashton having a spectacular day.  Reunited with his best buds.  But, now, as a kindergartener. 

Insanity

We all know the definition of insanity. Yet, we are destined to do insane things. At least I am.

As many recall the unfortunate stories of the fish in this house, you may also remember my great hesitation in allowing such tiny annoyances creep into my living space. Likewise, the foresight in knowing that such worthless house pets would bring much drama. But, little did I know that the havoc that was wreaked would not deter the kids from wanting another fish. Stay tuned for the insanity...

Since Sidney's fish met it's fate via the garbage disposal in a routine cleaning exercise, we told her she could get a new one after we returned from our trip to my Dad's. Who's brilliant idea was that?   The logical response to dead fish #4, should have been more along the lines of, "Sidney, we do a really crappy job of keeping fish alive in the house. Let's try a plant.". But, no. As a parent seeing their child in pain and on the verge of an emotional meltdown, you just want the bleeding to stop. To do that you plug the hole. You say yes to fish #5, knowing darn well that this outcome will be no different than the rest. Imminent death.

Fish 5, also known as Sponge Bob, is a Betta Fish. Betta Fish are fairly boring. Very creepy. Rather temperamental.  A great addition to this household, right?  Yea, not so much.  The color is already draining from this fish.  It has several white spots on it.  I give it three weeks, tops. 

The moral of the story is, we need to start evaluating the Chia Pet as a viable option for a household pet in this family!

Really?

Ashton on me "smashing" Aaron...
Aaron:  "Mommy smashed me...she made me Flat Stanley."
Ashton:  "More like FAT Stanley."
...the brutality in this house abounds...

Sidney on my tan...
Sidney:  "Mom, your arms are peeling.  It looks a lot like leprosy."
Me:  "Thanks, Sidney, but it's NOT leprosy!"
...this coming from the child who told me I was fat on the day I brought Ashton home from the hospital....

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Whirlwind Week

I blinked and the week was gone.  At least it seems that way. 

Sidney and Ashton attend camp all summer.  Sidney's is in one place, Ashton's in another.  Certainly makes life interesting...and especially in the morning.  The kids are up bright and early every morning, although not especially bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.  They get this honest, from their Momma.  The saving grace to the long days is the relaxation in the evenings.  But, this week was different.  They had vacation Bible school every evening from 6:30-9:00.  The long days turned into long nights and the days were but a blur.  However, I don't think any one of us would have changed a thing.  They loved it!

Despite the fact that the second their heads hit the pillows they were instantly transported to dreamland, they thoroughly enjoyed every second of VBS. 

Friday was family night and we were able to see what the kids had done all week.  It also ended with a carnival that came with much anticipation to the kids.  The setting was a week in New York City.  The city scape lined the stage complete with a yellow cab.  The giant big screens that flank either side of the stage showed engaging graphics as if you were gliding through downtown.  Music boomed through the speakers.  Giant beach balls fell from the balcony on to the unsuspecting parents below (the kids were fully prepared for this).  T-shirts were launched from the stage.  Singing followed shortly thereafter.  What's great about kids is when they sing...they dance.  Kids lined the isles dancing and singing.

I think Aaron and I enjoyed it as much as the kids did.  This brought me back to my days at Bible school.  Although we didn't have near the amount of "special effects" that my kids have, I remembered the great fun that was had.  The lessons learned.  The friends I made. 

So, while we all had to deal with compressed schedules and late-night hangovers the next morning...it was all worth it in the end!

The Bird

People who know me well, know that I absolutely do not like birds.  They are creepy, dirty and most recently have "struck" an airplane which caused major delays for me in my recent travels.  I don't like them...just in case you wondered.

That being said, this story has nothing to do with birds that make me stop in my tracks.  This has to do with the bird that flew in my backseat yesterday evening.

I was half-way listening to a conversation between Sidney and Ashton about bad words.  Sidney kept saying, "Yes, I know Ashton, you can't say bad words."  Well, apparently Ashton was telling Sidney that he learned that the middle finger was a bad word and you shouldn't do that.  However, he felt the need to demonstrate. 

My head turned around so quickly and I'm fairly certain that I may have even sustained whip-lash as a result!  "Ashton, where did you learn that?"  ...silence.  "Ashton, where did you learn that?"  "My friend Carter taught me that.  But, he said it was bad so don't do it."  "Well, then why did you just do it?"  "I needed to show Sidney so she wouldn't do it." 

These kids.  I don't think I learned that until at least Jr. High, so it's shocking to me that my four year old already knows "what not to do with your middle finger."  I guess this will just add to the collection of grey hairs I am accumulating! 

The Evening...In a Nutshell

Me:  "Ashton, what are you doing?"
Ashton:  "Making fart sounds with my armpit."
Me:  "Well, that's pretty disgusting since you are still eating."
Ashton:  "If I had water on my hands it would sound a lot better."
This was part of tonight's dinner conversation.

Sidney:  "Ashton, don't leave the toilet seat up!  I just fell in!"
Ashton:  "She fell in what?"
Me:  "The toilet, Buddy.  She fell in the toilet!"
Ashton:  "Why?"
This dilemma starts early in life and continues through adulthood...Sidney has no idea!

Me:  "Sidney, we need to start your insect report that is due Friday.  Any idea what insect you want to write about?"
Sidney:  "Yes!  The dung beetle.  It eats poop!"
...winner, winner chicken dinner!  We started the report on the dung beetle this evening!

Ashton:  "Mommy, your eyes are really blue."
Me:  "So are yours, Buddy.  You got your blue eyes from me."
Ashton:  "No, I didn't.  I came with my own eyes."
Deep conversation while swinging in the backyard - spider style!

I definitely had quality time with the kids tonight...these conversations put a smile on my face at the end of a long day!  Funny isn't it? How is it that dung beetles and toilet seats that are left up make your day? 

Fun & Games: The Sequel

At the urging of a couple of good friends, I bring you Fun & Games:  The Sequel.  Please keep in mind, it pains me to think about it, let alone write about it. 

As the day started on Saturday morning, I was off to the races.  But, not before I grabbed a cup of coffee.  As I made a beeline to the Keurig, the fish tank on the counter caught my eye.  It's not what was happening in it that grabbed my attention.  It's what wasn't happening that made me stop in my tracks.    Not only was Sidney's fish not swimming - it wasn't in the tank. 

I don't know about you, but when I roll out of the feathers, I'm not on my A-game immediately.  It takes me a little time to wake up and process what is going on around me.  That being said, I wasn't sure where to look for the fish, but I started with a yell to Ashton & Sidney.

"Sidney & Ashton, get in here!  Where's the fish?"  Sidney thought I was crazy and said, "in the tank" while Ashton turned around and walked away as if he knew nothing about what I was saying.  "Ashton, get back here.  Where's the fish?"  As I turned back to the tank, I looked down to the counter.  There was a puddle of water, a pitcher of room temperature water (which was to be used to clean the fish tank), a green spork and a dead fish. 

The fish was quite dead lying on the counter.  What a fantastic early morning discovery.

My kitchen served as a crime scene and an interrogation room.  Is it possible that my sweet angel face boy could have done this to his sister's fish?  Isn't this the stuff you hear about serial killers doing at a young age?  Does he need therapy?  Is there salmonella on my counter now?  Did he really kill a goldfish with a spork?  ...all I wanted was a damn cup of coffee!

What to do now? 

After Ashton finally got through his tears and my anger, he told me he was trying to get the fish into the pitcher.  "The fish kept flipping around and it wouldn't stop.  I used the fork to try to pick it up."  The head was barely attached to the body.  "Ashton, do you understand that you should not have taken the fish out of the tank?  And, do you understand that Sidney is very sad now?"  "Do you understand that the fish is dead now?"  More tears.  More remorse.  I'm glad for the remorse...otherwise, we would be on our way to the child psychologist! 

Sidney and I headed off to Pet Supplies Plus to find a new fish.  We came home with a pink Neon fish, at the bargain price of $5.  Since I'm tired of cleaning the tank every two days, we also bought a bubbler and tubing.  This serves a dual purpose.  It makes it more difficult for inquiring minds to open the lid!

What started with two ten cent goldfish and a carnival quickly turned into a saga of funny stories.  A $30 investment in fish and supplies.  A burial at sea.  Death by a spork.  A pink Neon fish.

It's all fun and games until you have to write a sequel to a blog entry entitled, "Fun & Games."

Two Little Monkeys

My two little monkeys are bouncing off the walls.  Really, the beds in the hotel room, but what's the difference?  They are so excited to be on their way to the big city of Sheboygan, Wisconsin to visit their cousin.  They cannot contain their excitement. 

The modern technology of iPads, laptops, iPods and built in DVD players make road trips a little more tolerable.  Your butt still gets numb from the vibration of the road, but the fighting and "don't cross this line" is reduced greatly by these distractions.  A point system that I created this morning has also been highly successful.  At least thus far. 

The way the "game" is played is both kids start with 10 points.  For each nice thing they do, they gain a point.  Be a brat, and you lose one.  If you end up with at least 10 points at the end of the trip then you get a reward at home.  If you have less than ten points when we pull in the driveway, then prepare to be on chore duty for a few days.  The real fun ones too...playroom clean up, bathroom sink cleaning, trash collecting.  Every kid's dream!

Gotta love a good impromptu game to keep the troops on the straight and narrow.  Stay tuned to see if Mom wins in the end.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Aaron:  "Ashton, are you going to wear your new goggles in the bathtub?"
Ashton:  "No, I don't want them to get wet."

Sidney:  "My stomach hurts."
Me:  "You better not have any ice cream then."
Sidney:  "It's better now."

Me:  "Ashton, Daddy is going to suck you up in his shop-vac." 
Ashton:  "My head is too big.  It would never fit in there." 

Ashton on Sidney's eating habits:  "Sidney is a vacuum cleaner!"

Sidney:  "Can I sign up to get a Wheel of Fortune ID number?"
Me:  "No, you're not old enough.  You have to be 18."
Sidney:  "Is that in 11 months or 11 years?"